1 – A new end.
"Why is it taking so long?" River interfered, putting herself between the Doctor and the machine.
He really was a mess that day: his quiff was disheveled and hanging in front of his eyes, surrounded by a bunch of rebellious locks, and his sleeves were badly rolled up and his shirt was unbuttoned… River did not protest about the last thing, though. What bothered her was that his untidiness wasn't only physical: she had never seen him that absent-minded and clueless before in her lifetime.
"It's alright. I just need to fix something here… and here… and-"River suddenly grabbed his hand, making him stop by force, before he could cause any more trouble. Then, she graciously pulled a tiny lever on her left. The TARDIS started to move a lot quicker, and they landed in two minutes' time.
"You look kind of distracted. Is it because of what I'm wearing?" River maliciously asked, skimming her gown with her fingertips and slowly moving her curly red hair.
"I am concentrated as ever! Perhaps I wouldn't have missed it if you didn't cover it" the Doctor returned, his eyes wide open, without paying attention to her gestures.
River made a mocking noise and put her hands on her hips challengingly. She was actually concerned about him, but she decided to end it in a jokingly way anyway and just raise her guard a little bit.
He knew it, though. He knew she noticed how weirdly upset he had been lately. And this made him even more nervous.
She didn't have to know. Everything was fine, as long he had those moments, when she turned her back on him, in which he could sigh, silently and secretly, without letting her even catch a glimpse of him. Even though that'd have been ok too – being the Doctor surely allowed him to have even terrible nostalgia moments -, if he just weren't hiding something. Something that was growing on him by the day. He never really minded how huge that feeling was. He just accepted its existence and did his best not to think about it. He had made that promise to himself long before. But then he met it, in a such concrete, tangible form, out of a coincidence, and now it was becoming hard, hard-harder, to just move on…
"Doctor?!"
River's voice woke him up in the worst of ways. He was so caught up by his thoughts that he couldn't deal with any interruptions, of any kind, and therefore he got so angry, that he yelled:
"What? Do you really must stand so close, right beside me, all the time?! Why don't you go and pull some more levers, if that's something you like so much doing?!"
River got shivers on her back. Even though she was horrified, she did her best to pretend she hadn't been hurt that much and pulled a slightly serious face. What in the whole universe could have made him so upset?
As soon as he realized what he did, the Doctor felt such a huge amount of regret that he apologized almost instantly:
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry"
River was deeply hurt. She answered him with a weak offended look and then just moved away, heading for the door of the TARDIS. She really wanted to hug him tight and pet him, ask him what was wrong, but she also wanted him to feel guilty, and so she ended up doing none of the above and walk away from him. Her legs were so heavy to lift, though... Really, what could have been wrong? They were together, the two of them, travelling. Amy and Rory were safe at home. What did she miss?
"River" he muttered. He was just next by her.
"We shouldn't stay this close. I thought you didn't want to" she replied sarcastically, her arms folded.
"No, listen, River… there are times in which I can be very difficult to understand"
"You always are!"
"Yeah, but in a different way… all of those overwhelming experiences I've had over the centuries bump into my head and make me feel chilly, and weird. So many eyes, and voices, and expressions, and desires, and deaths, unwanted, undeserved deaths, which I feel responsible of. The world never fails to surprise me and make me feel happy to be alive, and therefore to be able to see, watch and learn, but the so called 'ghosts from the past' often make their return and turn me into an annoying, cranky, pessimist person that I never want to be. Please forgive me"
After the explanation, he tried to smile, as to remark that everything was just fine and all of that was a habitudinary struggle he was perfectly capable to cope with (being impressed with himself for the persuasive speech made the smiling part easier).
She looked convinced. Her eyes became a little misty and she pinched his cheek, ready to change topic- it was about time.
"Let's jump out!"
The Doctor was ready to get out, when he noticed a disapproving look on River's face… Though he had been confused for a while, he soon realized that her disapproval concerned the lack of 'manners', so he rushed to open the door and gently flinched.
"After you" he said, in a tone between the amused and the annoyed, kneeling a little to look even more servant.
"Thank you, sir" River giggled, as she royally stepped out of the blue box, to find… not exactly what she was expecting to.
She waited for him to come out anyway, so that they could share the astonishment.
"We're on the Planet of the Ood" she stated, after feeling his presence near her.
"Yeah…" he confirmed, already trying to figure out why by himself.
"Wait! Does this mean that there's a new prophecy? "
"Perhaps…"
"A new song!"
An Ood came right in front of them. He was wearing a black suit with a 'Sigma' on it. The Doctor knew him already, and he couldn't help but think how much older he looked, in comparison with the first time.
"This song is about to end, but a new one is about to begin! A new, a new song…"
"No puns!" River exclaimed, but the Doctor was already cackling, in the most childish of ways.
"That's too bad, because I had just invented a great one! It's-"
"STOP" River determinately faced him, her nose millimeters away from his.
"Ok. Tell us about it, Ood Sigma"
"Our elders are still very uncertain, but it is known that war is about to come. Information on the new song is still very fragmented and cryptic. I can tell you what I know" he talked in a very low voice. River began to be very worried and held the Doctor's arm.
"Then do tell us" the Doctor encouraged him.
"A miracle is involved. The death of one, the rise of another, because all they've got is each other"
They stayed silent, hoping for more. But the Ood kept looking at them with its squinty eyes, quietly waiting for any incoming questions.
"Is that it?"
"Yes, it is"
"… that's…" he interrupted himself, drowning in his own reasoning "… interesting. Very. Hope we find out what it is about before it happens"
"I suggest you to use carefulness" Ood Sigma seemed very preoccupied, tightening the hold on his sphere "Keep your priorities in mind, Doctor. Remember"
The Doctor was angrily staring into his half-closed eyes. Why? Was he the one who was going to die?
"We must know more" River stated, making a step forward fiercely.
"You can't. This is all we know for now. I apologize though, if I disappointed you" the Ood denied, while being still chained to that sorrowful expression.
"You didn't, Ood Sigma" the Doctor cheered him. They had to go back into the TARDIS. "Let's go, River"
"But, Doctor…"
"Let's go" he insisted, in a sweet irrevocable tone, while pulling her sleeve.
She obeyed reluctantly. He muttered in her ear, as he saw her resentment:
"It's better if we lead a research on our own. I don't want any kind of complications, I hope you understand…"
Then, he pointed at some of them, gathered in a small circle, mumbling long phrases.
"Yeah, I do" River agreed that the Ood's behavior was starting to look a little weird. Weirder than usual.
A brief pat on her shoulder was now enough to make her launch onto the door of the TARDIS and carefully slip inside, an instant before the Doctor locked the door.
"Now, let's think…" he started, walking next to the machine "Why would he tell me to be careful? He obviously did it due to their predictions, but he also certainly wasn't really aware of what was telling me and why. If we insisted, we would've probably ended up being the preys of their ritual. Don't get me wrong, the Ood are one of the most peaceful and harmless populations in all of creation, but not when it comes to this kind of events, specifically"
"Yes… but perhaps there was something still in store for us…"
River looked at the Doctor, searching for a nod. But he didn't move.
Instead, he started the TARDIS, with an icy expression glued to his face.
At that same exact moment, right before the TARDIS took off, Ood Sigma suddenly screamed a name:
"Bad wolf!"
He began crying loudly, while all the others started to repeat that phrase: doubtfully at first, then desperately:
"Bad wolf! Bad wolf! She's going to rise sooooon!"
"Did you hear something?"
"No River, I didn't!"
"Oh… I'm sorry. I made a mistake"
